If Things Were Different
by kateybug
Summary: Before he was a death eater that had no choice, before he was given a mission to complete, Draco Malfoy was a boy with a love for literature, potions, and a certain bushy haired Gryffindor. Before Dumbledore was gone, before her life was filled with hunting horcruxes and running, Hermione Granger was a girl with a love for knowledge and a silver haired boy who hid his true self.
1. 1

A boy with hair as white as the rooms of a hospital was making his way across the platform of 9 and 3/4, his father and mother following alongside him. The father had long icy blonde hair that was somehow a colder shade of blonde than the younger boy's. The mother on the other hand only had a simple streak of blonde while the rest of her hair was almost as black as the cloaks adorning their bodies.

Any passerby could take one look at the older pair and know that they were prideful, their chins high and their egos not far behind. Both adults walked confidently and never looked down, like their feet had memorized the steps to take to make it to the Hogwarts Express. Their child tried his best to follow along, his chest puffed out as he sauntered with his trolley, but something was off. His façade wasn't as strong as his parents'. There was still slivers of doubt and insecurity lurking behind his grey eyes that were laced with blue.

His whole life had been preparing him for the moment his Hogwarts letter was dropped on their dining room table. Now, as he walked past hundreds of other families he was beginning to feel his palms sweat from the pressure being placed on him. He had a family legacy to live up to. If he failed, the disappointment and shame would certainly crush him. That or his father, whichever came last.

A girl with frizzy brown hair and chopped bangs across her forehead had just ran through the barrier and was also walking across platform 9 and 3/4. Her parents, however, looked around in wonderment, the excitement flowing off of them in waves and telling those around them that they were not familiar with the world of magic.

They were muggles who happened to be the parents of a witch. Said witch was also looking around her in endearment and for the first time in her 11 years, she felt a sense of belonging. She had read countless books about the world she was entering but she still couldn't believe this was real, that this whole new world had existed her entire life and she'd only known of it for a short few months.

Professor McGonagall had been the one to give the young witch her Hogwarts letter and a list of supplies she had no idea where to find. They'd spent hours speaking with her parents together, the information she was receiving soaking into her brain. There's been a reason such strange things occurred around her, from objects moving and vanishing to the sparks created whenever she was scorching mad. Not only did she know the reason, she'd be learning how to control it.

Both sets of parents helped their children gather their belongings and pile them onto the train along with every other family. A bustle of ginger hair flew past the small girl's eyes before her father nudged her to gain her attention.

"Remember to write when you can," the man smiled down. This would be the first time he was going to be away from his daughter for more than a day or two but he knew despite his anxiety of not being able to reach her if she ever needed him, he would have to let her board the train and be off. He knew that he couldn't keep her from this part of herself, this whole new world that she was suddenly supposed to be a member of. It wasn't fair of him to hide her away in their every day world, not when he'd seen so many days where she had nothing but questions in her mind and an ache when other kids called her a freak. He knew she needed to go, to be with other children like her.

"I will, Dad," the smaller girl smiled, wrapping her arms as far around her father as she could. Her mother soon joined, their group hug nearly suffocating the brunette but she wasn't going to complain. She was more nervous than she let her parents see; she was venturing into a world unknown with no one familiar. It was terrifying and exciting and she was starting to second guess herself as she released the two people who had raised her all her life. She was being dramatic, knowing she'd see them for Christmas in a few short months but she couldn't help the tear that left her eye. She quickly wiped it away before turning to the train and stepping on, her hand gripping the handlebar for support. She needed answers, to learn this whole new side of her and find out how she could best help the world around her.

"Remember to write when you can," the woman with striking blonde and black hair knelt down and told her son. This would be the first time that the couple would be away from their son for more than a couple of weeks, leaving him to decide on his own who he should and shouldn't befriend. The petite woman could only hope, for her son's sake, that he would not become friends with the ghastly Weasley's. They were blood traitors, too curious about the muggle world when they should know that they are, or were, superior to non magic folks. She also hoped that he would not send letters telling of his friendship with a mudblood. The thought of her son, one who came from a line of pure blood wizards who carried their prejudice from one generation to the next, talking of how he got along with or even admired another person with such low status caused her heart beat to quicken with fright. She could only imagine the anger and loathing he'd receive from his father.

"I will, Mother," the boy nodded. Unlike the girl with muggle parents who showered her with love and encouragement, the young man standing before his mother had to resist the urge to wrap his arms around her, knowing displaying such affection showed weakness and would be embarrassing for the whole family. He was raised to become someone superior to his peers, raised to believe that his pureblood status meant everything and it was too valuable to be soiled by the likes of muggleborns and blood traitors.

All that was on his mind was the thought of letting his father down. His father, who from day one yelled and beat their values into the young boy until he began to follow in the footsteps of his ancestors. No, he didn't believe anything his father did but he would forever be more afraid of his father than he would of any ridicule he received from his peers.

While his mother also disapproved of his curiosity for muggle things, she didn't force him into submission. She knew that she'd never understand her son's wild curiosity for a world he had no business being a part of but after watching through the crack of a doorway how his eyes lit up and scanned endlessly at the pages of a worn muggle book, she couldn't stand taking away that joy. She'd helped him hide countless amounts of literature in the last two years after he'd promised he'd never profess his love for the world beneath them. He'd stay in the mold he'd been given, taking the family name that felt more like a curse than a blessing as he'd gotten older.

"Remember who you are, son," his father spoke before simply shaking hands with his boy, a boy who would look so much like his mother had it not been for the blonde locks and ice blue eyes.

Love was something the older man had long pushed aside; no one reached the levels of success that he had while feeling emotions like love, guilt, or regret. He simply did what he had to do in order to survive, even if that meant showing only harshness and cold shoulders to his own flesh and blood. It was the only way to ensure that when the time came, his son would be able to step up and continue on their legacy.

With a final wave to his parents, he went to look for an empty compartment while watching as all the other kids waited by the windows for their final waves to their parents in envy. Because of this, it was easy to find a small room that was empty, something he'd grown familiar with as an only child who wasn't allowed to express his inner emotions. From beneath the robes he wore, he pulled out his worn copy of Romeo and Juliet, the tale of forbidden love and struggle entrancing the young boy for the millionth time since he was gifted the book by his mother.

An hour or two passed by before the compartment door was flung open, startling him and the girl who now stood in the frame of the door. Her brown eyes widened at the sight of him, his eyes no doubt mirroring her surprise.

"I'm sorry, I thought no one was in this compartment," she explained, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment at her brash entrance.

Upon realizing that he was just staring at her, he cleared his throat before replying, "It's alright, just gave me a fright is all."

"Well, have you happened to see a toad around? A boy named Neville seemed to have lost his and has been going mad trying to find it," the bushy haired stranger got straight to the point, making it her mission to help Neville search. He'd been very upset when he'd found out Trevor had hopped off somewhere since it was one of the only pets he could afford to bring to Hogwarts.

"A toad?" he questioned. The poor bloke must have come from a family who couldn't afford much; toads were pets that cost almost as little as a rat. For a moment he felt sympathy, knowing not everyone could afford things his family could.

"Yes, a toad. Have you seen one or not?" she questioned again, becoming a bit impatient with the boy sitting by himself before actually taking in the fact that he was sat alone. Her eyebrows furrowed together and she thought about asking him to help her search, or better yet to come sit with her and the group of other students she befriended while on the train.

The boy shook his head, not trusting his mouth anymore at the realization that he probably shouldn't be making friends with students who couldn't afford real pets for school. His family had so much money from generations and generations before him that he'd never had to worry about money or struggles other families had gone through. His family could always afford the best and settled for nothing less of it. While it was nice, it also caused problems with past friendships because he'd accidentally flaunt or brag of his possessions and unknowingly push away anyone that he wanted to impress.

"Well, I can't help but notice that you're sitting by yourself and was thinking you could come join a group of us that are a few compartments down," the girl offered. As soon as she smiled at him all warnings his father gave him and all advice his mother had quickly ran by him at the train station went straight out the window as he smiled back. Her teeth were a little bit big for her petite face but it felt comforting, inviting even.

"I'd love to," he grinned, standing from his seat and folding the page corner down before closing the book completely, causing the girl to scrunch her nose and look at him as if he'd physically wounded her.

"What?"

"Do you not have a bookmark?" she asked him, appalled at his carelessness for the book in his hands.

"A what?"

"It's something you place inside the book to hold your page for you instead of bending the page the way you have and ruining it," she explained, pulling one out of the pocket of her own robes and handing it over to the boy. She hesitated slightly, realizing it was her favorite bookmark before releasing it and watched as he gently set it into the space between the pages.

"Happy?" the boy sassed and she nodded, ignoring his look of annoyance with her before turning and walking to her compartment with him in tow. Before they entered, she stopped abruptly and turned to him.

"I never got your name," her eyes widened before she held out her hand. "My name is Hermione Granger."

"I'm Malfoy," he responds, taking her hand in his. "Draco Malfoy."

Hermione looked from side to side as students piled off the train, the older students heading towards the carriages that were charmed to pull themselves as a literal giant of a man called all first years to the boats. Harry Potter, the boy who lived who she had met before Draco while on the search for Neville's toad, stalked right up to the tall bearded man and they chatted for a few seconds.

Come to find out, the man's name was Hagrid and he was the Keeper of Keys and Grounds of Hogwarts. He explained that they were going to travel by boat across the Black Lake to the castle and before Hermione could believe it, she was floating across the water in an enchanted boat along with Neville, Pansy, Draco, and Seamus.

The five of them, along with Dean who was situated into another boat much to Seamus's protests, had had a blast in the compartment on the train. Seamus and Dean explained how to play Exploding Snap, which Dean had just taught Seamus not too long before Hermione brought Draco to the compartment. Draco, seeing the game of cards lit up and cheerily joined in and ended up beating the others countless times.

After they all became bored of the game, the ones who hadn't changed into their robes went to do so and left Draco and Hermione alone in the compartment. They decided to play Wizard's Chess which was a game Hermione quickly decided wasn't her cup of tea due to the barbaric nature of the game.

"Are you nervous about the sorting?" she asked her friends.

"What sortin'?" Seamus was confused, his mother never mentioning anything about a sorting amongst all her excitement of him finally getting his letter of acceptance to Hogwarts.

"I read in Hogwarts: A History that first years have to go through a sorting to decide which houses you're going to be in. You could be sorted into Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin," Hermione shuddered at the last house, causing Draco and Pansy to give her a confused look.

"What's wrong with Slytherin?" Draco seemed offended and he was slightly taken aback at Hermione's reaction to the house he'd been hoping to be sorted into. Everyone in his family had proudly flaunted their green and silver attire, the snake on all their broaches only further adding to the pride his relatives all held for being sorted into Slytherin.

"From what I've read, a lot of witches and wizards have gone bad that were in Slytherin. I just don't think it's a house I would want to be associated with if I'm being completely honest. Besides," she rambled on, "I also read that the common room is near the dungeons."

"My family has been in the Slytherin house for generations," Pansy commented, "and I happen to believe that they're pretty great."

"My family as well," Draco added, though he didn't have as much confidence as Pansy had when she'd let the words fall from her lips.

"I didn't mean to offend you guys, I just don't think it's a house I would want to-"

"Associate with," Draco finished for her. "You're basically saying that if we get sorted into Slytherin, you wouldn't want to talk with us."

"That's not it at all!" Hermione was flustered at how her words were being turned against her. She hadn't meant that she didn't want to still hang around with Draco and Pansy, who quickly became friends with her and each other on the train ride, but that she didn't want to be involved with anyone that could turn out bad like many wizards and witches before them had. She wasn't here to become anything but her best self and wouldn't let anyone stand in the way of her doing so in this world like so many had back home.

"My mum was in Gryffindor," Seamus blurted, hoping to relieve some of the tension in the boat. "She said most of the people sorted into Gryffindor are brave at heart, have strength they might not even know of."

"My mom and Dad were both in Gryffindor as well, but my Gran was in Hufflepuff, " Neville continued. "They're some of the bravest people I know, went against You Know Who in the last wizarding war."

"That's awfully courageous," Hermione acknowledged. Silence then fell over the group as the boats pulled up to the shore, all students clambering out and walking behind Hagrid to the inside of the castle.

The castle itself was massive, the architecture making Hermione fight back a gasp as she stood before it. The windows were lit up, the sky just beginning to fall into darkness and giving the school a dreamy luminescence. It was like something out of a fiction book and for a moment she couldn't believe that any of this was actually real. She even pinched herself just to be sure she wasn't dreaming.

They climbed what seemed to be never ending amounts of stairs before finally halting outside of the door which Hermione guessed would lead to the Great Hall.

"Welcome students!" An older woman stood in front of all the new first years, a small smile gracing her lips before being replaced by a stern look. "I am Professor McGonagall. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly but before you are seated you must be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with your house, eat with your house, and share the common room-"

"Trevor!" Neville yelled from beside Hermione, pushing his way to grab the toad that sat at the top stair, right at the feet of the Professor. When he saw his frog, he couldn't contain his joy. Neville has spent his train ride sulking and belittling himself over loosing the beloved pet so finding him brought a great deal of relief.

Once he secured his pet, he realized the commotion he caused and looked up nervously at McGonagall before hastily walking back to his place beside Hermione.

"Now, the four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honor." she continued on, leaving all of them for a moment before taking the wandering eyes of the first years through the Great Hall.

It was beautiful, lined with four tables with house flags hanging high above each table. Slytherins were on the far left, adorned in green and silver flags and each student wearing a matching colored crest along with it. Then the Gryffindor table, lined with red and orange, the crest shining among the students proudly. After that came Ravenclaw, blue, and Hufflepuff, yellow. Each house, though different, had their members proudly displaying their crests.

Hermione's eyes wandered across the tables and saw so many faces of interest, all of them probably wondering which students would be joining them tonight and which will have to become 'rivals' in the journey to win the House Cup.

At the very front of the room sat a stool and an old worn hat. This is what every first year had anxiously awaited since they'd learned of the blood that ran through their veins. It was finally time to see how they'd mold into their best selves and which house would be able to best assist them in doing so.

"Now," Professor McGonagall started, picking up a piece of parchment and the hat, "when I call your name, you will come forward and you will be sorted into your houses."

The room grew quiet as the first name was called, everyone seeming to hold their breath as the professor shouted.

"Hannah Abbott!"

A nervous looking girl walked forward, plopping onto the stool as stiffly as Draco had ever seen and the hat was gently placed onto her head.

"AH!" the hat exclaimed, startling all except Hermione who seemed to know the hat was going to do that. Draco was wondering if there was anything else she knew about Hogwarts.

"Did you know the ceiling is enchanted to look like the night sky?" she whispered to him as soon as the thought popped into his head. He looked up to see floating candles and a starry sky and after looking closer, saw the real ceiling of the Great Hall. He couldn't help but be impressed by her knowledge of the school they'd both begin to call their second home.

"Now I do," he whispered back, a soft smile appearing on both of their faces before their gazes are broken by the Sorting Hat.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat shouted, and before everyone's eyes the blank crest on Hannah's robes turned into the yellow crest of her house and she joined the table of cheering students. As another student was called up, Draco turned to Hermione and grasped her hand.

"Promise that even if we get sorted into different houses that we will still be friends?" After only knowing her a few short hours, Draco knew that he and Hermione would become great friends. Their minds were similar when it came to intelligence and interests and he knew without a doubt that he'd be sorted into a house full of blood prejudice and ignorance. He needed a friend on the outside who would be able to keep him true to himself and not allow him to slip into the desolate and cold world of his housemates.

Hermione smiled at him as she heard his name called before giving him a nod and reassuring squeeze. "I promise."

Draco gave his own nod back before nervously making his way up to the stool and waiting for the hat that decided his fate to be placed on his head. Before it even touched a single strand of hair on his head, the hat had already made its decision.

"SLYTHERIN!" he smirked down at Harry Potter and Weasley, the boys who he ran into on his trip to Diagon Alley that had rejected him. As the table of green cheered for the blonde boy, it was cut short by the calling of Hermione's name. Draco could feel his palms sweating as he sat beside Pansy, who had also been sorted into Slytherin. At least I have one friend here, he thought.

"Right," the hat started to mumble as it was placed onto the bushy mane of hair. "Right, hmmmm, okay." It grew silent in the hall.

"GRYFFINDOR!" A deafening applause rang through the Hall as the Gryffindor table exploded into cheer. Hermione smiled before joining her house, looking across the way to find Draco already looking at her. She sent him a smile as her own way of saying that even though their houses were pretty strong rivals, sworn enemies now that she thought about it, she had no intentions of going back on her promise to him. As Draco sent his own smile back, he confirmed that he had no intentions of breaking their promise, either.


	2. 2

Potions class was easily the most exciting part of Draco's day. He sat beside one of his fellow house members, Crabbe, who wasn't the brightest wizard he'd ever met but seemed to be someone he could proudly tell his mother and father about. He had also met another boy named Goyle, who he found could be quite harsh when it came to anyone who wasn't a pureblood.

Draco looked around the potions room, finding Pansy sitting towards the back with Daphne Greengass. For the past couple of nights when Goyle started his rampage on how inferior muggleborn witches and wizards were to purebloods, Pansy would retreat to her room. It was a curious thing to Draco since Pansy's parents were known for being the same as his own, holding the same views and ideas.

As he continued his scan he saw that Granger had found a seat next to none other than the great Harry Potter. Draco couldn't help but roll his eyes at the thought of the boy who lived. He had only wanted to impress the boy, only wanted to be friends with him and was completely shut down. After that, Draco decided he had no interest in pursuing a friendship with him. He just couldn't understand why Granger wanted to be friends with Scarhead and Weasley.

"There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class," Professor Snape came bustling through his classroom door, making Draco turn his head away from his friend to pay his full attention to the teacher who also happened to be his godfather.

"As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion-making. However," Snape looked down at the blonde Slytherin as he continued his small monologue, "for those select few who possess the predisposition, I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death."

Draco was fascinated by all the different uses that came with brewing potions, his attention stolen and his eyebrows raised slightly at the words slipping past his professor's tongue. He couldn't wait to get started, his hands twitching slightly in anticipation.

Snape's head turned as the movement of a quill and sound of the tip scratching against paper caught his eye. "Then again, maybe some of you have come to Hogwarts in possession of abilities so formidable that you feel confident enough to not pay attention!"

Hermione nudged Harry in his side and whispered his name before he finally looked up and realized that Snape had been addressing him.

"Tell me, Mr. Potter," Snape started, "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Hermione's hand shot straight up, her elbow nearly hitting Harry in the temple and sending him to the hospital wing. Draco smirked as he watched her wiggling in her seat, seeing the desire to answer each question Snape threw at Harry that he clearly did not know the answer to. He was surprised to see that she was so eager to answer, nearly every student in the class dreaded this class simply because it was Snape who taught it. He was known for chewing out students who were wrong, even worse when they weren't in the Slytherin house.

". . . I suppose fame isn't everything," Snape concluded before giving his full attention back to the lesson he had planned for the day.

Three weeks later, after a "flying lesson" gone wrong and attending a couple other classes that failed to capture Draco's interest, he found himself walking into the Hogwarts library to work on his Transfiguration assignment without Crabbe or Goyle interrupting him with mindless banter or questions of whether or not he fully agreed with the views of what seemed to be nearly all the parents of the Slytherin house. As much as he enjoyed having people wanting to be around him, he needed space and time to himself so he could work on assignments and study.

This was also the time he chose to sneak a muggle book in between his textbooks. It was another reason he wanted to be alone, in the confinement that he could only truly find between the shelves of the library. He needed to get away from the always searching eyes of his house mates, the ones that found no use in muggle inventions or contributions and would rather them parish before ever having to be in contact with one.

Finding the table tucked away in the corner, the one he'd retreated to several times already this week to find some peace, he found that someone had already occupied a chair. He smiled, recognizing the back of her head as if he'd seen it all his life instead of just for a month. Though they only held a handful of conversations since the train ride, he found that they had been some of his favorite since he'd been sent of to school.

"I see I'm not the only one who knows where this table is hidden." Hermione jumps in her seat, careful not to spill the ink that threatened to drip off the tip of the quill held firmly between her fingers. She turns her head quickly at the voice, recognizing him immediately before snapping her head back to her parchment.

"Obviously not," she snaps at him, and he's taken back at her tone. He moves to the seat across from hers, setting down all of his books and the parchment he'd snatched from his room before making the trek here.

"Why does it sound like you're upset with me?" he asks, taking his seat and spreading his books out in a similar fashion, making sure the novel was hidden underneath his potions book before cracking open the ones he'd need for Transfiguration.

"Maybe because I didn't realize that you'd changed since becoming friends with those imbeciles that are always at your side," she continued to write as she spoke, not once looking up to see the way Draco flinched.

"Crabbe and Goyle aren't the brightest, I'll give you that," he starts, "but they aren't imbeciles. They're some of the only people that actually try to reach out and talk to me."

"Have you forgotten that you could make the effort to talk to others first?" she questioned. She had talked to Draco a few other times around school, mostly over the weekend when classes weren't going on and they were both roaming the castle and bumped into each other. He, after all, had been one of the first friends she'd made and it didn't seem like anyone else was taking a liking to her.

"I haven't really met anyone else I want to reach out to," Draco sighed.

"I just don't think they're the best company," she states.

"Why?"

"Because I never thought you'd make fun of Neville, or talk about him the way you did during that flying lesson," Hermione slams her quill down and finally looks up at the boy she was trying to stay angry at. What he did, what he said, was wrong and he needed to know that.

Draco's shoulders slumped. He thought back on how the situation unfolded and immediately felt guilt over how he'd talked about Longbottom, the boy who had been kind to him sine they'd met on the Hogwarts Express. He just felt like his mates expected something from him, expected him to be harsh to the bundle of nerves that Neville was because they saw him as unimportant. Draco just wanted to belong, even if it meant going against someone he'd once seen as his equal.

"I just want to fit in-"

"Even if it means going against the friends you have now?"

"My family doesn't want to hear about people like Neville, Hermione!" Draco yelled. "They don't want to hear about anyone other than the people I become friends with in Slytherin, and considering the fact that my parents seem to know quite a few of the parents, I can't just lie. I have to fit in."

Hermione was struggling to stay angry with Draco as he explained himself though her anger diffused as soon as he started chatting. She couldn't pretend to know what it's like for him, to have to pretend to be someone you aren't just to please your parents, to have to be a jerk to those who are deemed unfit to them. Hermione couldn't understand why she cared so much, they had only met a month ago, yet she had easily welcomed him and knew that they were only going to grow closer. She just hoped he returned that feeling, that he wouldn't treat her the way that he had treated Neville.

"So being awful to people that are actually worth knowing makes sense to you?"

"I don't really know what makes sense, Granger. I just know that I have to please my parents." He can't explain why it was so hard for her to understand. Maybe her parents understood, maybe they didn't have these expectations of her and for a second he felt himself become envious of her.

"What if you were friends with Crabbe and Goyle in public, but friends with the rest of us in secret?" Hermione didn't see the harm in it at all. This way Draco would still be her friend and he would still be pleasing his parents.

"That's actually not a bad idea," Draco thought on it further. He would pretend, be the boy he knew his parents wanted him to be around Crabbe and Goyle and the Slytherin house, but when he was free he could be around his other friends like Hermione and Neville and maybe even Pansy.

"You would have to apologize to Neville for what you said, though."

"Alright." And the two continued to do their homework in peace.


	3. 3

She just wanted to help him learn the spell. Hermione wasn't trying to be a know it all, she wasn't trying to be rude or to embarrass Ronald Weasley whatsoever. So when he was mocking her to Harry, Seamus, and Dean, saying it was no wonder how she didn't have any friends she couldn't help but feel her heart crack. She had thought Harry was her friend along with Dean and Seamus but as they laughed along with Ron she found out that she was clearly mistaken. She pushed past him, their shoulders colliding harshly and she ignored the ache that followed as she hurriedly made her way to Gryffindor tower and tried her best to not let anyone see the hot stream of tears that flowed down her cheeks.

Hard as she tried, she couldn't keep Draco from seeing how wounded Weasley's words had left his friend. He thought her success of the spell was admirable, thought that she was brilliant and couldn't help smirking as she gave a look of satisfaction towards the red haired boy next to her. While he was slightly frustrated at his own inability to get the spell down, he knew he would in time and wasn't too worried. He was still appearing to be one of the top students in their year, just barely behind Granger. As the girl in his mind passed him in a flurry of brown frizz, he felt anger rush through him. However, he knew better than to make a scene in the courtyard in front of other Slytherins. He had an act to keep up and he couldn't break it for a Gryffindor muggle born witch, it would raise too many questions that his eleven year old mind didn't want to worry about.

After his next class, Defense Against the Dark Arts with the Ravenclaws, he was lounging around his common room when Pansy came in looking deep in thought.

"Pansy," Draco called, catching her attention as she whipped her head up to look at him.

"Have you heard about Hermione?" she asked him, a look of concern washing over her features.

"I heard what that Weasel said about her and I know she was pretty upset."

"Some of the girls from Gryffindor said she's locked herself in a bathroom stall in the girls' lavatory and has been there since Charms. She's been crying," Pansy informed him. "I think. . . I think we should go check on her, she is our friend."

"I can't be caught with her, Pansy," Draco groaned. He wanted to make sure that Granger was okay, wanted to make sure she wasn't letting what Weasley say get to her because she did have friends. She had Neville and Pansy and even though they couldn't be friends in public, she had him.

"No one will know unless you tell them," Pansy quipped before going up the stairs to the girls' dormitory. After a minute or so she made her way back down, passing him once again on the couch. "I know your parents are strict about who you involve yourself with, but she is your friend at the end of the day. Just put aside your little secret for one day and come on."

Draco gave her a look of confusion but nevertheless he stood from the couch he lounged across and followed her out of the Slytherin common room.

"How did you know-"

"You and Hermione aren't the only ones who hide in the library," Pansy cuts him off, sending him a soft smile as they continue walking towards the lavatory Hermione was occupying.

"And you won't tell anyone?" he asked. He didn't want his friendship with the Gryffindor house to be out in the open, not yet anyways.

"Not a soul," Pansy promised. She knew what it was like to have parents that wanted to control every aspect of your life for reputations sake. Unlike Draco, she didn't let it affect her. At the end of the day she was going to be friends with whoever she pleased and her parents would just have to deal with that fact.

As they came up to the bathroom with gentle sobs emitting through the doorway, Draco turned to Pansy and thanked her, a hand resting on her shoulder before they both entered. There was a stall closed shut, the rest vacant and empty. Draco stood back as Pansy quietly made her way to the stall that Hermione occupied and knocked softly.

"Hermione, it's Pansy," she called through the door. "Draco and I came to make sure you were alright."

"I'm fine!" Draco could hear her sniffling through the door, her voice sounding thick as she tried to calm her breathing. "I just needed a minute."

"Granger," Draco said gently, making his way towards the stall door. "I know what Weasel said-"

"Don't call him that," she scolds and Draco can't help but smirk. Even when she was hurt and upset, she was still the kind hearted person he knew her to be and stuck up for the person that caused her tears.

"Even when he's made you cry, you stand up for him?" Draco asks.

"I don't like bullies, Malfoy."

"Then I won't call him that anymore," he informs. On the other side of the door, Hermione lets a small smile grace her face. "Now can you come out of that stall, Granger?"

Hermione gathers herself before she comes unlocks the door and pushes it open. At first she is looking down, wiping away what tears are left in her eyes before she looks up at the two Slytherins. Slytherins, the house that was supposed to be full of dark and evil, turns out to harbor the two people that came to her side to make sure she was alright.

"I just want you to know," Pansy starts, gaining the attention of the girl with red rimmed eyes. "What Ron said isn't true in the slightest. You have us, you have Neville," Pansy tells her.

"I just don't understand," Hermione whispers. "Dean, Seamus, Harry? They were supposed to be my friends, too."

"You are so brilliant," Draco tells her. "You have more magical ability in your finger than any of us have in our entire bodies. You can't let those that are jealous of you bring you down. You have to rise."

Hermione smiled at her two friends before enveloping them in a hug tighter than Devil's Snare. The three of them, all so different in upbringing and in personalities yet they managed to become closer than anything. They hugged, cherishing this moment of peace.

That is, until a mountain troll decided to clamber into the same bathroom they were in, causing Hermione to stiffen and freeze and cause Draco and Pansy to pull away.

"What is it Granger?" Draco asked, pulling away and seeing her eyes wide and full of fear. He turned and stood frozen at the sight of the tallest and ugliest being he'd ever seen. The three of them all screamed as the troll raised his bat and hey scrambled into a stall, ducking as the wood was smashed and covering all three of their bodies.

They hear the doors to the bathroom burst open and Draco looks to see two sets of feet running behind the troll. His mind quickly passes over them and the three first years crawl through the splintering wood.

"You guys, move!" He hears the boy who lived yell, the sound echoing off the walls and he hears more cracks ring before wood continues to fall on top of them. They lay still as they feel the troll rummaging through the wood before he hears the Weasley start to yell.

"Hey, PEE BRAIN!"

It catches the attention of the troll long enough for the three of them to run under the sinks. The troll turns and swings, smashing the sink Hermione first crawled under, causing her to move under the vacant one next to it.

"HELP!" she yells at the two boys who stand in the doorway. They watch as Harry pulls out his wand before marching towards the troll and grabbing onto his bat, flying through the air with it. He lands on the shoulders of the troll, catching everyone by surprise. Draco found himself laughing at the look of shock on both of their faces, the expressions nearly identical. Ron was standing off towards where he and Harry had entered the bathroom, not knowing what he was supposed to do to help.

The troll had decided he would try to shake Harry off, jolting him back and forth before he is jerked forward, causing his wand to shove up the troll's nose. Everyone looked in disgust before the troll took hold of Harry's ankle and dangled him upside down in front of him.

"DO SOMETHING!" Harry screamed before curling up, avoiding being hit by the swinging bat of the troll. Draco didn't like either of the boys but he didn't want them to be harmed, didn't want any of them to be hurt by this monster.

"What?" Ron looked around, trying to figure out what it was he should do to help his friend from being battered. Pansy rolled her eyes at the cluelessness of the wizard who was their last hope in walking out of this bathroom in one piece.

"ANYTHING!" Harry curled up again, hoping his red headed friend would figure something out quickly. Ron reached into his pocket, pulling out his wand.

"Hurry up Wealsey," Pansy said, seeing Harry looking tired from dodging what would be a painful concussion.

"Swish and flick!" Hermione instructed, and Ron nodded before shouting the incantation.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" The bat is pulled from the troll's hand, and he stares at the empty space in his palm before looking above his head. Hermione, despite the situation, smiled at the boy who finally performed the spell. They all watch as the bat drops from the air, knocking the troll hard on the top of his head. Harry is dropped instantly, and the troll staggers where he stands. Both Ron and Harry scurry backwards as the troll stumbles in their direction before dropping on his stomach, dust swarming around the body.

Everyone takes a second to breathe, realizing that they were no longer in danger before standing and gathering around the incapacitated body. Harry kneels down and pulls his wand from its nose, all of the children letting out noises of appalment at the sight of bogies following.

"Troll bogies," Harry groaned, wiping his wand on his robes before placing it in his pocket. Draco, while still angry at both of the Gryffindor boys, couldn't help but commend them on their bravery, something he lacked tremendously but had to put up a façade of arrogance and confidence in place of it.

"That was wicked," Draco spoke, looking at both Weasley and Potter. Pansy nodded in agreement. "Didn't realize either of you had it in you."

"Thanks Malfoy," Harry spoke, and for the first time since the year had started, there wasn't any malice or hostility in his voice when he spoke Draco's name.

Draco held his hand out towards Potter, deciding that he didn't want to spend the rest of his time at Hogwarts fighting with the boy who he had only wanted to befriend. While skeptical, Harry placed his hand in Draco's and they shook, both of them deciding in that moment to put aside what had happened. What no one expected was for Draco to turn to Ron and offer his hand again.

"I know we've had differences, that our families have had differences," he spoke, thinking back on what Pansy had told him earlier in their common room, "but I don't want to follow in my father's footsteps. I'm sorry for the way I treated you, how I belittled you first day. I just want you to know I'm trying to be better. Can we start over?"

Ron looked at the silver haired boy who he was destined to hate just like their fathers hated each other, thinking back on how he was ridiculed for being a Weasley, for being poor. However, he also thought on the apology Malfoy just spoke and noticed their was nothing but sincerity in his words. They were absent of judgment, of hate, and made Ron believe that they could actually be friends. So he let is hand grip Malfoy's before shaking it. "I don't see why not."

Three professors barged in, McGonagall leading the bunch before gasping and leaning against the wall gripping her chest. The first years were on the verge of being scolded before explaining themselves. Draco, Pansy, Harry, and Ron were each awarded five points while Hermione, who took the blame for the whole fiasco, was docked ten points.

While walking through the halls to their houses later that night, the group looked amongst each other and a friendship stronger than any of them could know had started to form, but this was only the beginning of what would turn out to be a long year, and a long life, of protecting Harry James Potter.


	4. 4

"Take a bit of toast, mate. Go on," Ron tried to persuade Harry who had been pushing his breakfast around his plate for the entirety of the morning.

"Ron's right, Harry. You're going to need your strength today," Hermione chimed in while Harry just gave her a blank stare, seeming uninterested in not only his food but the conversation.

"I'm not hungry," he spoke, giving them both a look that would hopefully convey how done he was with talking about his lack of appetite and his nerves about his first quidditch game today, a game against their biggest rivals in the school: Slytherin.

Draco sat across from him, deciding to sneak a seat at the table with them while Crabbe and Goyle slept in. He knew how big today's game was, he'd heard everything having to do with house rivalry from his father, how Gryffindor had always been a good team and how Slytherin often resorted to cheating their way into a win. At the time, his young mind was intrigued and understanding of the wrong doings of his destined house but as he looked over at the boy he had become closer friends with in the weeks following the troll incident, he hoped that today's game would be different.

"It's understandable to be nervous," Draco told him. "I'd be bloody nervous, too."

"Why? Because it's Slytherin?" Harry questioned, not wanting to deal with Malfoy, even if he was only joking about how Slytherin was better. They all knew Draco didn't want to be involved with a house known for only their dark wizards, but house pride was something all of Hogwarts took seriously even if they hated whichever house they were sorted into.

"No." Draco shook his head. "Because it's quidditch. People can seriously get injured, and while my father has told me there haven't been very serious injuries since he was playing on the team, it can still be dangerous."

Ron looked over at Draco with an eyebrow raised, surprised nothing cheeky came out of the blonde's mouth.

"You could also be nervous because Slytherin will win, but that was already a given." And there it was.

For the first time that morning, Harry's nerves subsided a bit and he chuckled. "I'll believe that when pigs fly, Malfoy." Draco simply laughed back before taking a bite of his eggs.

"Good luck today, Potter," Proffesor Snape spoke, making all four heads turn to where he stood at the edge of the group. "Then again now that you've proven yourself against a mountain troll, a little game of quidditch should be easy work for you. Even if it is against Slytherin." Snape's eyes flashed up to look at Draco who sat quietly, avoiding the eyes of the man who was very close with his family and continued munching on the toast at the edge of his plate. Giving up, Snape limped away but not before gaining the attention of the three Gryffindor students.

"That explains the blood," Harry remarked, causing Draco to look at him like he was crazy.

"Blood?" Hermione asked, seeming to be equally as confused as Draco felt.

"Listen," Harry turns to face her completely, "Last night, I'm guessing Snape let the troll in as a diversion so that he could try to get past that three headed dog BUT he got himself bitten. That's why he's limping."

Draco thought Potter was just making up some crazy story until Hermione spoke up. "But why would anyone go near that dog?"

"The day I was at Grinngotts, Hagrid took something out of one of the vaults, said it was Hogwarts business, very secret." Harry turned to look at Malfoy before forgetting he hadn't known anything that had happened in the beginning of the year.

"So you're saying. . . " Hermione continued, causing Harry to turn back towards her.

"That's what the dog's guarding. THAT'S what Snape wants."

"So where exactly is this vicious dog you're talking about?" Draco butts in.

"It's on the third floor-"

"That's forbidden! You heard Dumbledore say-"

"We know," Ron interrupts, rolling his eyes. "We didn't go looking for it, the stairs just started changing and we ended up there. Then Filch's cat came along and we knew we had to hide fast because wherever that bloody cat goes, Filch isn't far behind. We ended up in this room and waited until the coast was clear when we saw the dog."

"It was standing on top of this trap door," Hermione continued on where Ron left off. "We thought it was guarding something and with all the things that have gone on recently it's probably true."

Draco, head still spinning from the amount of chaos his new friends seemed to get themselves into, nodded along to show that he was following with what she was telling him. "So now we just have to figure out what exactly it's guarding that Snape wants so badly?" he questioned.

"Exactly," Hermione smiled.

Before any of them could continue to eat their breakfast, the hoot of an owl rang through the Great Hall. The four of them looked up to see an owl swoop across the tables, what looked to be a broom gripped tightly in its tallons before releasing it, causing it to land infront of the group.

"Bit early for mail, isn't it?" Hermione's eyebrows scrunched up in the middle of her forehead in thought.

"But I. . . I never get mail?" Harry whispers. Draco feels saddened by the fact but doesn't dwell on it for too long.

"Let's open it." Ron already has his hands on the package and the four go to town, ripping and tearing until a bright and shiny broomstick is left. Draco looks to the handle to see what make it was and his eyes widen when he sees it's a Nimbus 2000.

"It's a broomstick," Harry remarks, and Draco rolls his eyes. Everyone knew what the package was before it even landed at the table.

"It's not just any broomstick," Ron starts. "It's a Nimbus 2000!"

"But who. . ." Harry states under his breath before hearing the same hooting of an owl, turning his head to see McGonagall sitting at the head table, smiling and stroking the feathers of her owl softly. They all follow his line of vision to see her smiling at all of them. Today was seeming to look up for Harry.

After they all finished their breakfast, Draco had to seperate from Hermione and Ron as they were heading to the Quidditch Pitch. Crabbe and Goyle had made their way out of bed and were just outside the hall when he had exited and dragged him away from what fun he was having. He quickly explained that he was just trying to intimidate Potter and get under his skin before the game, stating that he was alrwady nervous and it didn't take much this morning to bother him at all. The two boys nodded before they started the trek to the pitch, trailing behind the trio he had sat through breakfast with as they went.

When they finally made it, it was about half an hour of sitting around and waiting before the teams were flying onto the field, whipping and whirling through the stands and towers. Lee Jordan, a third year Gryffindor, was announcing the game as he had been doing since his first year of Hogwarts since his high spirit made the commentary much more lively and enticing.

Cheers rang through the air, the sounds of clapping hands and chants being sent through the air. Soon after, Madam Hooch walks onto the middle of the field and the players circle aroud her as they take their positions.

"Now I want a nice clean game," she announces, staring over at the Slytherin team longer than the Gryffindors. "From all of you."

Ten seconds later, the bludgars are released along with the golden snitch. The quaffel is tossed and the game begins. Gryffindor chaser Angelina Johnson quickly snatches it and zips away towards the hoops, dodging left and right as Slytherin chasers come close to catching her. She ducks as a bludgar comes her way and wips under her broom as another Slytherin comes zooming up to her before throwing the quaffel through the tallest hoop.

"ANGELIN JOHNSON SCORES! TEN POINTS FOR GRYFFINDOR!"

The game continues on normally, the whole crowd excited and cheering loudly until Marcus Flint, captain of the Slytherin team, sends a bludgar straight to Oliver Wood's head. It results in Wood crashing to the ground along with angry shouts from the Gryffindors. Next is when two Slytherin chasers lead a Gryffindor chaser into the tapestry of one of the towers. This resulted in a few bangs ringing out before she appears at the bottom unconscious. While the Slytherins around him cheered, Draco couldn't find it in him to continue cheering. He wanted Slytherin to win, but he wanted it to be because they were simply more talented.

When no one was looking, he snuck out of the stands and made his way to where he knew Hermione and Ron were sitting. He stripped off his Slytherin tie and stuffed it in his robes before stomping up the stairs and finding himself surrounded by angry students. He squeezed through the crowd before finding the bright orange hair of Weasley.

"I couldn't stay over there." The voice startled Hermione as she turned to see Malfoy.

"Can't you get in trouble for being over here?" she asked.

"I don't care," he told her. "I just can't sit there and listen to them cheer for a team that can cheat and be so-"

"Okay, okay," Hermione acknowledges how he is feeling and she let's him know that she won't push him any further. They turn back to watch the game, standing closely as the wind picked up and whipped Hermione's hair into his face. He wondered how she had so much unruly hair as he pushed it away and tucked it behind her ear to secure it. Hermione blushed at the action but pretended to ignore it, keeping her eyes locked on Harry as he flew through the air.

Harry zoomed forward, ducking under a bludgar before his broom began to throw a fit. He held on with a grip that nearly snapped it in half as he was flung around. It felt like the broom had a mind of its own as it tried desperately to shake him off.

"What's going on with Harry's brromstick?" Hagrid asked incredulously, and Hermione continued to look through her binoculars at the boy in question. She could tell he was struggling but she knew it wasn't his doing. Harry flew brilliantly, it was in his blood to do so, and it was strange that this was happening.

As she peered down, she picked up on Snape who appeared to be mouthing furiously while maintaining eye contact with the form of Harry.

"It's Snape! He's jinxing the broom," she says to Ron and Draco.

"Jinxing the broom?!" Ron exclaims.

"What do we do?" Draco asked.

"Leave it to me," she says before quickly making her way through the crowd of people all standing with their mouths gaping at the sight of Harry nearly falling off his broom. They all watched as Harry was shook violently, causing him to nearly fall had it not been for his right hand holding onto the stick tightly.

"Come on Hermione," Ron spoke, anxiousness building up inside of him at the sight of his friend nearly making an incredibly painful fall to the ground. A few moments later, he and Draco looked to where their teachers all gathered and saw flames licking up the sides of Snape's robes, causing him to break eye contact to try and stomp out the flames.

Harry, noticing the lack of movement in his broom once again, decided to muster his strength to fling himself upright. He then took off, catching up with the Slytherin seeker in a race to catch the snitch once again.

"I still can't believe you almost swallowed the snitch, of all the ways to catch it Potter," Draco exclaimed as the four walked alongside Hagrid, enjoying the time that they weren't in a classroom.

"Probably would have gotten it sooner had Snape not jinxed my broom," Harry mumbled the last part, but Hagrid had heard him and couldn't hold his tongue.

"Nonesense! Why would Snape put a curse on Harry's broom?"

"Who knows," Harry replied. "Why was he trying to get past that three headed dog on Halloween?"

Hagrid looked down at the boy with shaggy black hair in confusion. "Who told you about Fluffy?"

"Fluffy?" Draco asked. Of all the names in the universe, he couldn't believe that someone had decided to name their pet, let alone a three headed dog, fluffy.

"That thing has a name?" Hermione inquired.

"Well of course he's got a name, he's mine! Bought him off an Irish feller I met down at the pub last year," Hagrid told them. "Then I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the-"

"Yes?" Harry pushed.

"I should not have said that," the half giant uttered to himself. "No more questions, do not ask anymore questions! That's top secret, that is."

"But Hagrid," Harry continued pestering, "Whatever Fluffy is guarding, Snape's trying to steal it."

"Codswallup," Hagrid said. "Proffesor Snape is a Hogwarts teacher."

"Hogwarts teacher or not, I know a spell when I see one. I read all about them," Hermione exclaimed, growing tired of Hagrid not believing what she had seen. "You've got to keep eye contact and Snape wasn't blinking."

"Exactly," Harry nodded, though he hadn't seen Snape at all during the affair and surely hadn't known about maintaining eye contact during spell.

Hagrid let out a deep sigh. "Now you listen to me, all four of you. You're meddling in things that ought not to be meddled in. It's dangerous. What that dog is guarding is strictly between Professor Dumbledore and Nicholas Flammel."

"Nicholas Flammel?" Draco questioned, wondering what the famous wizard had to do with any of this.

"Who's Nicholas Flammel?" Ron asked, turning to Malfoy.

"I should not have said that," Hagrid said again, not believing he was letting slip valuable information that wasn't meant to be shared before walking off towards his hut.

"Nicholas Flammel," Draco kept repeating, trying to think of where he'd heard of the name before.

"Who's Nicholas Flammel?" Harry asked, looking towards his friends for answers, mostly towards Hermione.

"I don't know," she replied, her brows scrunching together in thought as she tried to think if she'd read about him before in any of the books she checked out from the library.

"We should probably try to do more research on him, get as much information gathered as possible," Draco suggested. "The answer must have something to do with him if he's the only person Dumbledore has been doing business with."

"That's brilliant!" Hermione compliments. "Since the holidays are coming up soon, we could try to research over the break as well. That way when we come back we can come together and share what it is we've gathered!"

"So you're saying we use the time we're given away from school to research?" Ron can't think of anything he'd want to do less, even if it was important. He was looking forward to the holidays to lounge around the common room, perhaps sleep in more and just be lazy. Maybe he would play wizard's chess with Harry, teach him a few things before completely destroying him.

"That's exactly what I'm saying." Hermione glares at Ron, still holding a slight grudge from when he was talking badly about her.

"I think it's a good plan, gives us more time to find whatever it is we can. It's not like you have to spend all your time researching, Weasley," Draco tells him as the four make their way back to the castle.

When they made it to the steps, Draco parted ways with the three and made his way to his dormitory to send a letter of questions to his mother. Surely she had to know something about a Nicholas Flammel or had a book lying around with information on the wizard. Hermione headed towards the library, already listing off books in her head to check out and skim through. She was determined to find out what was so important to keep hidden in Hogwarts, and more importantly why Snape would go looking for it. Harry and Ron, who were the least motivated to do any sort of research, headed back to Gryffindor tower to nap before dinner, only hoping the holidays would come quickly.


End file.
